Around 2000-2001 I had just lost everything that meant anything to me. I went through a divorce, my kids (12, 14) told me they hoped that I would die. My mom told me that I was worthless. I had to close my business, file for bankruptcy, had a heart attack, and eventually had to move back in with my parents when I was 40.
As soon as I started to get back on my feet, I ventured back into the world. I had been going to a nearby bar regularly, when out of nowhere, someone walked up to me and asked if they could talk to me. I had come to know this person, but we were not close. But, shortly after she sat down she said "Mike, I have something that I need to tell you." She proceeded to tell me that God had sent her to find me. You can imagine my response. "What!?!?"
After talking with her a while, I sensed something, and began to think of my old church that I grew up in. So I excused myself and went into the restroom where I looked up and said "God, are you really talking to me?" In my head I heard a deafening "YESS". After drying the tears from my eyes I rejoined my friend, and asked her to tell me more.
We became friends that night and we regularly talked about God.
One Sunday around 12:30 in the afternoon she called and asked me if it was okay that she had just asked 400 people from her church to pray for me. I said "Sure, but why?" She said it was because I looked so sad the night before, like I had lost my last friend. After talking for a while I began to tell her of the abuses that happened to me when I was young.
At some point I told her that I needed to go...that it was time for me to have "that talk" with God. When I knelt down to pray I said, "God, I don't know how to do this, but I know that your Son Jesus died on the cross for my sins. I need help God. My ways don't work. Everything I try to do turns out wrong. Please help me God."
Before I knew it I was crying rivers of tears. Then all of a sudden I felt something come down from above me. It felt like a warm blanket of love being lowered down onto me. It started at my head and went all the way down to the floor. I felt an amazing peace and lightness in my body. Then, toward the end of my prayer I sensed someone standing behind me. As I slowly turned my head to the point where I would almost be able to see who it was standing there...it all stopped. I felt like it must have been Jesus or an angel.
From that day forward I began to read my Bible for hours on end. (I hated reading before that.)
Found a church and settled in. I was leading Bible studies on AOL with another wonderful man of God. He asked me to fill in. People started calling me pastor, so I decided that maybe I should take some classes at the Christian college that was only about 20 miles away. I eventually became an ordained minister. (SBC) But that was not what God had in mind for me. So now I write teachings and share them on Facebook, and other social media places. But the best part was leading a men's Bible study in the men's crisis center of our local rescue mission. I did that for over 5 years, once or twice a week.
The best part of all is growing closer to the lord day by day.
So, if someone walks up to and tells you that God sent them to find you...you might want to listen.
God Bless! Mike aka WatchmanOpie
As soon as I started to get back on my feet, I ventured back into the world. I had been going to a nearby bar regularly, when out of nowhere, someone walked up to me and asked if they could talk to me. I had come to know this person, but we were not close. But, shortly after she sat down she said "Mike, I have something that I need to tell you." She proceeded to tell me that God had sent her to find me. You can imagine my response. "What!?!?"
After talking with her a while, I sensed something, and began to think of my old church that I grew up in. So I excused myself and went into the restroom where I looked up and said "God, are you really talking to me?" In my head I heard a deafening "YESS". After drying the tears from my eyes I rejoined my friend, and asked her to tell me more.
We became friends that night and we regularly talked about God.
One Sunday around 12:30 in the afternoon she called and asked me if it was okay that she had just asked 400 people from her church to pray for me. I said "Sure, but why?" She said it was because I looked so sad the night before, like I had lost my last friend. After talking for a while I began to tell her of the abuses that happened to me when I was young.
At some point I told her that I needed to go...that it was time for me to have "that talk" with God. When I knelt down to pray I said, "God, I don't know how to do this, but I know that your Son Jesus died on the cross for my sins. I need help God. My ways don't work. Everything I try to do turns out wrong. Please help me God."
Before I knew it I was crying rivers of tears. Then all of a sudden I felt something come down from above me. It felt like a warm blanket of love being lowered down onto me. It started at my head and went all the way down to the floor. I felt an amazing peace and lightness in my body. Then, toward the end of my prayer I sensed someone standing behind me. As I slowly turned my head to the point where I would almost be able to see who it was standing there...it all stopped. I felt like it must have been Jesus or an angel.
From that day forward I began to read my Bible for hours on end. (I hated reading before that.)
Found a church and settled in. I was leading Bible studies on AOL with another wonderful man of God. He asked me to fill in. People started calling me pastor, so I decided that maybe I should take some classes at the Christian college that was only about 20 miles away. I eventually became an ordained minister. (SBC) But that was not what God had in mind for me. So now I write teachings and share them on Facebook, and other social media places. But the best part was leading a men's Bible study in the men's crisis center of our local rescue mission. I did that for over 5 years, once or twice a week.
The best part of all is growing closer to the lord day by day.
So, if someone walks up to and tells you that God sent them to find you...you might want to listen.
God Bless! Mike aka WatchmanOpie
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